ABRSM Horn books for Practical and Performance Grades

Start with two checks: your grade and whether you are taking a Practical Grade or Performance Grade. For most customers, the quickest route is to open Syllabus Finder, confirm your level, then shop the Horn collection.

For Horn, your main buying choice is usually the right repertoire source for your level, then the matching technical books if you are taking the Practical route.

For Grades 1–5, most customers start with a grade-appropriate repertoire book such as Shining Brass, Book 1 or the relevant Time Pieces for Horn volume, then add Scales and Arpeggios for Horn, ABRSM Grades 1–5, from 2023, Sight-Reading for Horn, ABRSM Grades 1–5, from 2023 and the correct Specimen Aural Tests book for the grade band.

For Grades 6–8, start with the repertoire source named for your grade in Syllabus Finder, then add Scales and Arpeggios for Horn, ABRSM Grades 6–8, from 2023 and Sight-Reading for Horn, ABRSM Grades 6–8, from 2023 if you are taking the Practical route.

For Performance Grades, your main purchase is the repertoire source plus any own-choice score you need.

Shining Brass is a strong starting point if you want a brass-focused repertoire book with matching accompaniment books. Time Pieces for Horn is useful when you want extra graded repertoire and more stylistic variety.

Many customers buy the book named in Syllabus Finder first, then add the other as extra study and performance material.

For Practical Grades, yes. Your repertoire book covers the pieces, but most candidates also buy the matching Scales and Arpeggios and Sight-Reading books so they can prepare the full assessment.

For Performance Grades, no. You normally focus on repertoire plus any own-choice music you need.

If you are starting out, look for Horn Prep Test 2017 for the first step, then move into the grade-appropriate Shining Brass or Time Pieces for Horn book as you progress.

Many early-stage customers also add the grade 1–5 scales and sight-reading books straight away so they do not need to reorder later.

That depends on what you want to strengthen. Customers often add Principal Horn, Score & Part for more advanced repertoire, Brass Mix for extra graded pieces, or the matching Shining Brass piano accompaniment books in E flat or F if they want a more complete lesson and rehearsal set.

Quick path:

• Open Syllabus Finder and select instrument + grade
• Check the latest Brass guidance on ABRSM before you buy
• Buy route-matched titles in the Horn collection